Elena Roxana Maria Fernandes Instagram – A year ago today I received the worst phone call in the early hours UK time that my best friend had suddenly passed away. I had been in Mumbai with him only five days before enjoying a feast at St Regis with our friends. It didn’t feel real. It still doesn’t feel real. I called my dad and my best friend who was celebrating her birthday hysterical and that I was rushing to the airport. Umesh was the heart of India. Ultimate socialite and fashionista he was a permanent fixture at shows, events. A library full of knowledge with a heart full of God, Umesh helped so many kickstart their careers in India. A formidable writer and designer he knew everyone, and knew everything. His death showed me the worst of humanity, people behaving like parasitic vultures wanting to gossip about what happened. His family racing to tell me of his passing before gossip started. The disgusting amount of people who sent me his picture on social media and Watsapp saying Elena is it true is he dead, or hey Elena Umesh is dead, so matrofact rather than any basic human decency to call rocked me to my core and a year later I refuse to engage with any of those individuals. Then there were those few beams of light who shared their funny stories with me, and told me things he said about me which made me smile. He worshiped me and I worshiped him. The ultimate best friend. He’d always dress me up and I was always and still am wearing his fabulous jewellery designs. We had the same resilient work ethic. Waking up early hours to do shoots. He’d always say I can’t believe you’ve stuffed so much cat food into the Gucci bag 😂 he was so so funny. Or “where are you finding these cats, I’ve never seen any” 😂 or to one guy at dinner “your name is Aj those are letters what is your real name” 😂 Those 9hrs to get to Mumbai were the longest hours of my life. I kept trying to convince myself that maybe he’s come back to life like how you see in the movies. Life hasn’t been the same without Umesh. I still Watsapp him all the time and I imagine his response. I know wherever he is he’s fabulous as ever but this world sparkles a lot less without its ultimate gem. Mumbai, Maharashtra